~Provoking the Imagination~

Star Wars: Ahsoka by EK Johnston – A Book Review

Perhaps the greatest Star Wars character to never actually appear in one of the films, Ahsoka Tano broke out during the animated Clone Wars series. If you’re unfamiliar with her, she once served as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan. She and Anakin had an incredible bond, and when she left the Jedi Order, it broke Anakin’s heart. In fact, her departure coupled with the perceived betrayal of the Jedi absolutely led to his downfall. One must wonder if he could have resisted the Dark Side had Ahsoka been with him.

Nonetheless, due to her break with the Jedi, she escaped Order 66. Ahsoka picks up later after Palpatine took control. Now permanently on the run, Ahsoka must use an alias wherever she goes and downplay her connection to the Force. She’s a hero at heart, though, and like her Master, she can’t help but get involved when she must.

The first half of the book is comparable to the other Star Wars books in that she lands on a remote planet, she meets characters of no real significance, and a small–ultimately inconsequential–operation begins against the Empire. I felt real disappointment at this premise because everything felt rather … unimportant. The beginning of this book seemed entirely forgettable.

But then the second half of the book happened … and I couldn’t put it down.

I won’t spoil it for you, but Ahsoka leads directly into both the cartoon Rebels and Star Wars: A New Hope … maybe even Rogue One. Want to know why the Sith’s lightsabers are red? Want to know how Ahsoka ended up with white lightsabers? Want to know how Ahsoka became Fulcrum? Want to witness the beginning of the Inquisitors? Ever wondered about Bail Organa’s role with the Rebels? The second half of the book answers all of those questions and sets Ahsoka up for big, big things.

Johnston understands Ahsoka’s character well, especially in terms of where she was in Clone Wars and where she’s going in Rebels. I’m not sure how I’d feel about it without having watched both cartoons, but as it stands, Ahsoka ended up being incredibly satisfying.